Majoritarian in Lieu of Consensus Government (August 21-28 )
After the President Ram Baran Yadav asked the parties to form a consensus government, UCPN (M) and Nepali Congress put forward Baburam Bhattarai and Sher Bahadur Deuba respectively as their candidates for the post of the prime minister. However, consensus government could not be formed. The President extended the deadline by three days at the request of the parties, yet there was no consensus among the parties. Then, the exercise for a majoritarian government started. After he could not garner support of a consensus government, senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba quit the prime ministerial race and Nepali Congress nominated Ram Chandra Paudel as the candidate for majoritarian government leadership. Both Bhattarai and Paudel held multiple meetings with other parliamentary parties asking their support for their candidature.
UCPN (M) made public its proposal on the peace and constitution-drafting process which included a one-and-half-month timetable for completing peace process if the government was formed under its leadership. However, Nepali Congress and UML reacted as the proposal not being positive enough with both parties accusing the UCPN (M) of not being sincere towards peace and constitution-drafting process and going back on previous agreements. Nepali Congress candidate for the post of the prime minister Ram Chandra Paudel brought out an 11-point work plan if he is elected. UML decided to vote for Paudel if there is no flexibility from UCPN (M) on the peace process, and Baburam Bhattarai was elected prime minister with the support of United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF). Nepali Congress and UML remain in opposition.
Major Developments
| August 21 | Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal convenes an all-party meeting. The meeting decides to seek a three-day extension from the President, which he grants.
Meeting between UCPN (M) chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala. The meeting focuses on national consensus, peace process, and constitution drafting. |
| August 22 | Meeting of the Nepali Congress officials decides to seek support from other political parties for government under its leadership until the peace process is complete.
UCPN (M) chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal and vice-chairperson Baburam Bhattarai meet the chairperson of Tarai-Madhes Loktantrik Party Mahantha Thakur and ask for support in government formation. The meeting of the UML Central Committee suggests the party leadership not to support and join a majoritarian government. |
| August 23 | The government tables an amendment proposal for three-month extension of the Constituent Assembly. UCPN (M) opposes the proposal arguing for a six-month extension.
Madhesi Janadhikar Forum proposes a consensus government and six-month extension of the Constituent Assembly. Meeting between Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala and UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal to discuss the problems on national consensus and its possibilities. |
| August 24 | Parties unable to form a consensus government. The President Ram Baran Yadav writes to the parliament secretariat to start the process of electing the prime minister from the House.
A meeting of the UCPN (M) officials expressed regret at failure to form a consensus government. UML parliamentary party meeting suggests the party leaders to seek consensus within the majoritarian process until the last movement. Nepali Congress withdraws senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba’s candidacy after failure to form a consensus government. |
| August 25 | The parliament secretariat publishes timeframe for prime minister’s election on August 28.
UCPN (M) makes public its plan to complete the peace process in one and one-half months. The Nepali Congress Central Committee decides to nominate Ram Chandra Paudel for leadership of majoritarian government. |
| August 26 | UCPN) meets with smaller parliamentary parties except Nepali Congress and UML to seek support for Baburam Bhattarai’s candidacy to the post of the prime minister.
Meeting between UCPN (M) and UML. UML terms UCPN (M) proposal on peace and constitution-drafting process as not positive and reliable. Meeting between Nepali Congress and UDMF. Congress seeks UDMF support for government under its leadership until rehabilitation of the Maoists combatants and management of the arms. Congress leader Sushil Koirala, Ram Chandra Paudel and Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal meet. Congress leaders ask the prime minister for support to its candidate in the prime ministerial election. UCPN (M) vice-chairperson Baburam Bhattarai and Nepali Congress vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel register their candidacy for the prime minister for majority government. Nepali Congress parliamentary leader and prime ministerial candidate Ram Chandra Paudel meets NWPP chairperson Narayan Man Bijukchhe and Tarai-Madhes Loktantrik Party chairperson Mahantha Thakur separately to seek support for his candidacy. Jagadhish Ghimire, Yubaraj Ghimire, Bhimarjun Acharya, Satya Mohan Joshi, Jyoti Baniya, Bharat Basnet, Sher Bahadur K.C., Shambhu Thapa, Prakash Raut, Saurabh, and PL Singh demand the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly. They argue that extending its term is a loss to the nation. |
| August 27 | Prime ministerial candidates Baburam Bhattarai and Ram Chandra Paudel meet Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N) chairperson Kamal Thapa separately and seek his support for their candidacy. RPP-N seeks commitment to declare Prithvi Narayan Shah’s birthday on Paush 27 to be declared National Unity Day as a precondition for its support.
UML Standing Committee decides to support Nepali Congress prime ministerial candidate Ram Chandra Paudel if the UCPN (M) does not come with a concrete proposal acceptable to all the parties. It finds the latest UCPN (M) proposal as adding complexity to the peace process. UCPN(M) vice-chairperson Mohan Vaidya and his supporter return security personnel arm arms provided by the Maoist Combatants (People’ Liberation Army) Prime ministerial candidate Ram Chandra Paudel makes his proposal on peace and constituting-drafting public. |
| August 28 | Agreement between UCPN (M) and UDMF.
UCPN (M) vice-chairperson Baburam Bhattarai elected as the new prime minister. |